Nozzle type regulator



y 10, 1956 I E. MIEINCKE 2,753,887

NOZZLE TYPE REGULATOR Filed May 16, 1952 INVENTOR EDWARD MEINCKE %ORNE?United States Patent Oflice Patented July 10, 1956 NOZZLE TYPE REGULATOREdward Meincke, Summit, N. .L, assignor to Union Carbide and CarbonCorporation, a corporation of New York Application May 16, 1952, SerialNo. 288,207

9 Claims. (Cl. 137--505.25)

Heretofore it has been difficult to make a small size regulator for alow quantity of gas flow and yet at the same time preserve a gooddischarge characteristic. Under the present invention, this has beenaccomplished by a number of features of construction which have beenused together for the first time.

An object of this invention is to provide a fluid pressure regulatorwhich is simple and compact, may be made inexpensively, and has a goodflat discharge characteristic when operating with small quantities ofgas, whereby such a regulator is well adapted for drink vending machinesand other purposes.

Referring to the drawing:

The single figure gives a longitudinal section through one embodiment ofthis invention.

The regulator casing is comprised of two parts, 10 and 11, between whichis clamped the diaphragm 12 by the threaded cooperation of the casingparts. An inlet passage 13 leads through a filter 14 to a precision tube15 for cooperation with a movable valve seat 17. After the gas haspassed through the stationary valve member 15, it moves through theoutlet passage 16 to its place of use. A relief valve 18 may be securedin the casing portion containing the outlet passage. The stationarymember 19 receiving the major part of the inlet passage is insertable inthe casting part 10 from the inside when the casing portions have beenseparated. A spring 20 engages the diaphragm 12 to oppose the outletpressure acting on the opposite side of the diaphragm. A rubber washer21 is insertable adjacent the periphery of the diaphragm where it issubjected to the clamping pressure of the casing parts.

The movable valve seat member is carried by. and secured to the diaphramwith the aid of a tubular holder 22 having a flange 24 which engages thediaphragm on one side. On the opposite side of the diaphragm a clampingnut 23 holds the diaphragm plate 25 against the diaphragm 12, clampingit between the diaphragm plate and the flange 24. A nut 26 may beadjustable to control the stress in the spring 20. The pressure of thespring 20 against the diaphragm is suflicient to hold the inlet passagereceiving member 19 tightly Within the recess of the casing portion 10,due to the shoulder illusstrated on the member 19.

A silicone rubber 0 ring 27 is carried by the member 19 and engages theinner wall of the tubular guide holder 22. For very low flow conditions,the O ring may not slide but only be subject to a small amount ofstress. For larger flow conditions with a larger valve opening, the Oring may slide. This regulator may be built in larger sizes for a largerquantity of gas being handled. Also in larger sizes the O ring may besecured to stationary member 19 and to the inner wall of the holder 22for the purpose of opposing any tendency to hum without the presence ofsliding friction between the holder 22 and the stationary member 19.

The degree of regulation depends on the ratio of diaphragm area to thearea of the inlet opening in the valve member which cooperates with theseat portion. In the present invention this ratio is many times greaterthan is found in many commercial regulators and still many more timesgreater than is found in any small size regulator.

Structural features contributing to the compactness of the presentregulator include the elimination of a yoke heretofore customary in manyregulators. The location of the spring 20 around the movable andstationary valve members contributes to axial shortness in theregulator. The pressure responsive diaphragm 12 is preferably either afilm of polytetrafluoroethylene known under the brand name of Teflonabout .005" thick or a glass fabric impregnated with this same plastic.

Another distinguishing characteristic of the present invention is itspossession of a good flat discharge characteristic, especially with asmall quantity of gas flow. The degree of regulation depends on theratio of the diaphragm area to the area of the valve opening. In thisregulator that ratio is close to 500 to 1, and a conspicuous structuralfeature contributing to this advantageous result is the use of theprecision tubing 15 of stainless steel having an outside diameter of.045 and an inside diameter of .009", the inside diameter being withinthe range of sizes commonly designated capillary tubing. Such capillaryopenings are usually within the range of .005 to .015. With these gooddischarge characteristics, flows of 15 to cubic feet per hour arepossible. The regulator valve illustrated is of the general nozzle type,that is, having the discharge pressure tending to close the valve. It isbelieved that there is no sliding friction in this small type valve,that is, of the dimensions described and shown approximately in thedrawing. The O ring 27 tends to stick to the inner surface of the holder22 and thus be adhesively or otherwise secured thereto, as well as tothe holder 19 for the stationary valve member and, due to the smallmovement of the movable valve element, the 0 ring may function as andtake the place of a valve closing spring commonly found in fluidpressure regulators. This regulator, while described as a small one,may, nevertheless, be made in larger sizes for handling largerquantities of flow, and, when so made in larger sizes, the O ring may ormay not have any sliding friction with the inner surface of the holder22. For maximum flow, that is, for maximum valve opening, the presentregulator movable valve element has a movement of only .002". Thissilicone rubber 0 ring is flexible at -70 F. and possesses adequatestrength at F.

Another feature of the present invention is its simplicity and reductionin cost. This regulator is perhaps 40% more compact and probably 30%cheaper to produce than any comparable regulator available on the markettoday.

All parts are adapted to be made on a screw machine. The straightin-line construction contributes to simplicity of assembly. Before thecasing portions are screwed together the member 19 is inserted in thecasing portion 10 from the inside and held there by the spring 20 afterbeing assembled. The valve seat is of nylon and the precision tube is amaterial which is available on the market generally of stainless steel.Having the movable valve seat 17 carried by the diaphragm eliminates theneed for any valve yoke such as is customary in many types of fluidpressure regulators.

What is claimed is:

l. A pressure responsive valve comprising in combination a casing, apressure responsive diaphragm carried by said casing, a supplypassageway, an outlet passageway, a valve between said passageways, amovable seat element for said valve, means securing said seat element tosaid diaphragm for movement therewith in each direction, including aguide tube enclosing said seat element, secured to and extending axiallythrough said diaphragm, said inlet passageway being fixed with respectto said casing and telescoping within said guide tube, and resil ient Oring type packing between said guide tube and a portion of the inletpassageway within said tube, carried by one of them and secured to theother one strongly enough for said packing ring to flex or to slide,depending on the degree of movement of said diaphragm, whereby saidO-ring packing, when it does not slide, is adapted due to its resilienceand internal stresses therein to assist in moving said valve, said guidetube having an outlet opening between said scat element and said O ringpack ing.

2. A valve according to claim 1 in which said inlet passagewayterminates in a precision tube having a capil lary bore and said valveseat has a movement of nly a few thousandths of an inch for its fullopening, whereby said valve is well adapted to control small flows.

3. In a tluid pressure regulator of the type having an inlet passageway,an outlet passageway, a valve between them, a diaphragm responsive topressure in said outlet passageway, a casing, and a spring clamped insaid casing and cooperating with said casing and diaphragm for opposingthe outlet pressure against the diaphragm, the combination therewith ofthe improvement enabling said regulator to be made on a screw machine,said improvement comprising a spring receiving portion of said casingbeing provided with an axial bore, an inlet passage receiving membercentered in said bore, carried by said casing portion, and extendingthrough said diaphragm, said diaphragm being mounted for fiexure alongsaid inlet passageway receiving member and relative thereto at thediaphragm central portion and flexible packing between said diaphragmand inlet passage receiving memher.

4. In a pressure responsive valve having a casing, a pressure responsivediaphragm clamped in said casing, an inlet passageway, an outletpassageway, a valve between said passageways, and a spring cooperatingwith said casing and diaphragm for opposing outlet pressure upon saiddiaphragm, the combination therewith of the improvement facilitatingassembly of said valve, said improvement comprising an axial bore in aspring receiving portion of said casing, a complementary casing portionthreaded to the first and clamping a peripheral portion of saiddiaphragm between them, an inlet passage receiving member centered in.said bore, passing through said diaphragm, and adapted to be assembledtherein from the inside when said casing portions have been separated, amovable valve seat secured to an inner edge portion of said diaphragmwithin a tubular member, a stationary end portion of said inlet passagemember telescoping within said tubular member, and flexible packingbetween said telescoping members.

5. In a fluid pressure regulator having a casing, a pressure responsivediaphragm held in said casing, an inlet passageway, an outletpassageway, a valve between said passageways responsive to fiexure ofsaid diaphragm, and a spring cooperating with said casing and diaphragm,the side of said diaphragm opposite said spring being ex posed topressure of said outlet passageway, the combination therewith of theimprovement for obtaining a generally flat discharge characteristic forsmall flui' flows and for eliminating any sliding friction in saidvalve, said improvement including said inlet passageway at said valvebeing of capillary inside diameter, said valve being of the nozzle typein which pressure in said outlet passageway tends to close said valveand said valve has a movable member and a stationary member, one of saidvalve members being said inlet passageway and the other a yieldable seatmember fixed to and movable with an innermost portion of said diaphragm,a tube in which said seat member is mounted adjacent one end, said tubeextending around said inlet passageway, close thereto but spacedtherefrom, and projecting through said diaphragm, and a resilientpacking between said tube and inlet passageway, adapted to yield withmovement of the movable valve member in guiding its movement withoutsliding friction therebetween and also to provide a gas seal betweenopposite sides of said diaphragm, said tube having a vent between saidscat member and packing.

6. A regulator according to claim 5 in which said. resilient packing isan 0 ring carried by one of said valve members and secured to the othervalve member.

7. in a fluid pressure regulator for small flow rates and of a typehaving a casing, an inlet passageway, an outlet passageway, 21 valvebetween said passageways, a diu phragm clamped in said casing andresponsive to fluid pressure in said outlet passageway for actuatingsaid valve, a spring between said diaphragm and a portion of said.casing for opposing outlet pressure against said diaphragm, said valvebeing o1 the type having a statiouar I nozzic at an end of said inletpassageway, and a yieldable scat element movable away from said nozzleunder fiexure of said diaphragm due to said spring, the inlet passagewaywithin said casing being substantially straight and extending axiallythrough said diaphragm and spring, the combination therewith of theimprovements inciuding means securing said seat element to saiddiaphragm for movement thereby in both directions, and means associatedwith such securing means for providing sliding movement of the centralportion of said diaphragm along the inlet passageway during flexure ofthe diaphragm, and a gas seal for preventing gas flow from one side tothe other of the diaphragm along said inlet passageway, whereby thewhole area of said diaphragm is responsive to outlet pressure andwhereby with a given diameter of diaphragm the degree of regulation andthe tendency for the valve to close tightly are enhanced.

8. A regulator according to claim 7 in which said gas seal is an 0 ringpacking sealing a space between the inlet passageway aud a centralportion of said diaphragm and said packing is of a type tending to stickto the walls of any such space.

9. A regulator according to claim 7 in which said valve nozzle is alength of capillary tubing having an dc diameter no larger than .005 oran inch secured to said inlet passageway.

References. Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE VALVE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CASING, APRESSURE RESPONSIVE DIAPHRAGM CARRIED BY SAID CASING, A SUPPLYPASSAGEWAY, AN OUTLET PASSAGEWAY, A VALVE BETWEEN SAID PASSAGEWAYS, AMOVABLE SEAT ELEMENT FOR SAID VALVE, MEANS SECURING SAID SEAT ELEMENT TOSAID DIAPHRAGM FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH IN EACH DIRECTION, INCLUDING AGUIDE TUBE ENCLOSING SAID SEAT ELEMENT, SECURED TO AND EXTENDING AXIALLYTHROUGH SAID DIAPHRAGM, SAID INLET PASSAGEWAY BEING FIXED WITH RESPECTTO SAID CASING AND TELESCOPING WITHIN SAID GUIDE TUBE, AND RESILIENT ORING TYPE PACKING BETWEEN SAID GUIDE TUBE AND A PORTION OF THE INLETPASSAGEWAY WITHIN SAID TUBE, CARRIED BY ONE OF THEM AND SECURED TO THEOTHER ONE STRONGLY ENOUGH FOR SAID PACKING RING TO FLEX OR TO SLIDE,DEPENDING ON THE DEGEEE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID DIAPHRAGM, WHEREBY SAIDO-RING PACKING, WHEN IT DOES NOT SLIDE IS ADAPTED DUE TO ITS RESILIENCEAND INTERNAL STRESSES THEREIN TO ASSIST IN MOVING SAID VALVE, SAID GUIDETUBE HAVING AN OUTLET